Won't You Give Stress a Space?

When you hear the word “stress,” I bet your first thought is to avoid it at all costs. Like a red alert signaling danger. A quiet, sneaky thing that drags us down. It's like stress was invented just to be gotten rid of.

When I was a teenager, I started dealing with skin allergies. They come and go, but when they flare up, it gets pretty frustrating. So, until recently, it became routine for me to visit a dermatologist. And every time, it’s the same process: a quick check-up, a few questions, and then a prescription. I always ask what’s causing it, and the answer is usually the same: “It might be triggered by stress. Have you been feeling stressed lately?” You’ve probably been there too. You go to the doctor feeling off, and all you hear is, “It’s probably just stress.” No wonder it gets such a bad rep. Stress is real, but it can feel unreal. It feels like an invisible bad energy, and at times, beyond control. Well, at least for me, who struggles with frequent flare-up meltdowns, it does. 

But as I got older, those flare-ups started happening less and less. It wasn’t overnight, but it slowly got better after I started talking to myself and trying to figure out how to handle stress in my own way (just a Leo becoming a Leo). And what if I told you the secret is, “Love your stress. Give it some space.” Let that settle in.

Illustration by Pablo Amargo

The thing is, as I continue to self-learn from many sources, I've realized something important: not all stress is created equal. And because of that, you can't treat it equally either. And the one that doctors often blame is chronic stress. It’s true and scientifically proven that overwhelming stress can cause real health problems. And honestly, that’s fair.  The science backs them up, chronic stress can mess with you, big time. It can affect many organs and body systems, from head to toe.(1). And yes, it can trigger your body’s alarm system, causing your body to respond (most of the time) in a bad way.(2). So, that “red alert” metaphor is not far off.

Come to think of it, if something can be chronic, then there must be a non-chronic version too. It’s the idea of opposites, like big and small, short and long. That got me curious. So I kept reading, and here’s what I found: Not all stress is bad. Some of it can actually be good for you. This good version of stress is known as eustress. 

Dr. Hans Selye (1907–1982) was known as the father of stress research. One of his books, The Stress of Life (1956), shares a new idea: the concept that not all stress is harmful. He made a clear distinction between distress (from the Latin dis = bad, as in dissonance, disagreement), the bad kind of stress. And eustress (from the Greek eu = good, as in euphonia, euphoria), the good kind.(3).

Still, thinking of stress as something helpful and good just feels a little off. Can’t we just have zero stress? The further question is, why do we still need eustress? 

“Stress is the spice of life.” - Dr. Hans Selye

We often hear people giving advice on how to let go of stress. Do this, or do that. But let’s clear something up. When people say “let go of stress,” it kinda makes us think we should have zero stress in our lives. If we’re being honest, living a life with zero stress would be demolishing the art of living itself. It’d be boring and empty. It's not real. If we can’t just get rid of stress all ot once, why not try to make the stress work for us? 

This good stress, or eustress, acts like a gentle challenge that encourages you to step outside your comfort zone and tap into your full potential. This kind of stress challenges you just enough to motivate you and help you grow, without feeling overwhelmed. Eustress can send blood to the muscles, increasing breathing rate and heart rate, and also releasing glucose into the bloodstream. All of that can give advantages to boost oxygen and energy.(4). Unlike the draining stress that wears you down, eustress pushes you to improve and strengthen yourself. Imagine standing at the edge before a bungee jump… (take a moment to really picture it). Your heart races. Your palms sweat. You feel the undeniable fear, yet also a boost of energy. That’s eustress. This example makes you understand the use of eustress. It’s not the kind of stress that paralyzes you; it's the kind that pushes you forward and gives you the courage to leap. It boosts, encourages, and drives. Many say it even improves your mental health. 

I get it, after that narrative, you automatically assume eustress always involves big moments. Suddenly, your mind might bring up a scenario you fear, like bungee jumping I just wrote. Or, memorable "overthinking" scenes from your own life may pop up. That moment when you're figuring out what to study next, second-guessing your choices, filling out endless applications, and then just waiting nervously every day for that university acceptance letter. Or maybe it’s the first time you’ve had to make a decision about choosing a school for your kid. Or other big “adulting” life decision for the first time. Yes, those are examples of eustress, and they are real and intense forms of it. 

But what if eustress could come from something much simpler? Not just moments of overthinking or fear, but from everyday challenges instead?

Here’s the cool part: The answer might be as simple as walking. Yes, just the simple act of walking. Even a calm, steady stroll, step by step, is already a form of eustress.

Most people think of walking as a way to release stress, like a chance to practise your breathing, clear your head, and in the end to shake off the tension. That’s 100% true. Here’s why I think walking is kind of pretty cool and seriously underrated: Sure, it helps lower stress (not all of it, let’s be real, but enough to make a difference). But the wild part? It also creates good stress. Personally, I’ve noticed that walking helps prevent those flare-ups from happening so often.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/1bb8bd_b192ff0b3f06467bb54e1862f94818c8/720p/mp4/file.mp4

You might not have noticed, but walking actually puts a little bit of stress. Don’t worry, it’s the kind you can totally handle. It’s not just about physical discomfort, though that’s part of it. Sure, your muscles might ache a little, and your bones feel it if you're not used to moving much. But it’s affected your mind, too. Ever wonder why your body sometimes resists working out? Or why you catch yourself talking,  “I hate walking. Why am I even doing this?” That’s because even light movement like walking triggers a bit of stress. The interesting part: that little bit of discomfort? That’s the magic. It’s your body adapting, growing, and getting stronger. That gentle push is what makes walking more than just getting from point A to B. Inside, your mind and body are also creating a mild form of stress that keeps you moving and adapting. Not only a form of body training, it’s basically undercover mind training. 

So, if you ever feel overwhelmed by stress, don’t stress about being stressed (yes, it sounds a little confusing, but stay with it). Instead, try exploring forms of eustress, the kind of stress that challenges you in a healthy way. Maybe that’s going for a walk (like me), or setting a small daily goal. It might surprise you what works. Whatever you choose, the key is to make space: Acknowledge what you’re feeling. Breathe. Let yourself engage with stress, not just react to it.

Give stress a space. It’s part of what makes us human, after all.

-RW

Trivia: Could you count how many times the word ‘stress’ appears?

---

(1) Stacey Colino. ‘How stress can damage your brain and body’. The Washington Post <https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/04/26/inner-workings-stress-how-it-affects-your-brain-body/> [22 June 2025]

(2) Luc Rochette, Geoffrey Dogon, Catherine Vergely, ‘Stress: Eight Decades after Its Definition by Hans Selye: “Stress Is the Spice of Life”’.

<https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9954077/> [23 June 2025]

(3) ‘Understanding The Role of Stress’. The Open University <https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/health/understanding-depression-and-anxiety/content-section-1.1?utm_source=chatgpt.com> [23 June 2025]

(4) Zawn Villines, ‘Eustress Vs Distress: What is the Difference?‘. Medical News Today <https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/eustress-vs-distress#impact-of-stress> [23 June 2025]